A Thanksgiving Message

Psalm 100:4-5
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Canadian Thanksgiving is upon us. This year it looks so different as we continue to struggle with Covid-19 restrictions and advisories. In my own 74 years, I cannot remember a Thanksgiving without family and friends around the table. This year, I cannot imagine the kitchen without the wonderful aroma of festive food.  I cannot imagine the dining room without decorations and hints of fall’s bounteous reds, oranges and yellows.

And, most of all, I cannot imagine SouthWest Sunday worship without evidence of the harvest’s blessings – beautifully displayed as a reminder of how good God is indeed.

Yes, this year has been challenging in so many ways.  We have lost loved ones and have been unable to say proper goodbyes, we have postponed weddings and baptisms and, perhaps most difficult of all, we have been unable to gather for worship and fellowship.

But, in spite of all of this, we continue to worship in spirit and faithfulness.  For those who have access to the internet and You Tube, Sunday worship has continued in some form or another.  And for that, I am thankful!

Katie Taylor, from World Vision Advocacy, said “One of the best things about thankfulness is that the more you choose it, the easier it gets. The more you profess gratitude, the more you notice things to be grateful for. The thankfulness muscles respond to exercise!”

With that thought in mind, I wish each and every one of you a blessed Thanksgiving.  May you find one thing in each day to be thankful for.  No matter how small or insignificant it may seem to you, praising God is at the heart of the Christian tradition and finding even one small blessing is a beacon of light in the darkest times.

Be well, and be with God.

Pastor Beryl